Date of issue: 01/10/2025
Approved by: Director of HR
This statement is made on behalf of Wilkin Chapman Rollits pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year April 2025 to March 2026.
We recognise our obligations under the Act and take seriously our responsibility to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking within both our firm and our supply chains.
Our commitment
We are committed to conducting business ethically and with integrity. We take a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and human trafficking, and we are dedicated to identifying, preventing, and addressing risks of slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour, and human trafficking.
We implement and enforce effective systems and controls to ensure that slavery and human trafficking are not taking place within our firm or our supply chains. This is supported by a suite of policies, including our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and our Whistleblowing Policy, which reinforce our values and obligations.
Our culture is built on openness, respect, and responsibility. Through initiatives such as our YourVoice employee forum, we foster dialogue, transparency and accountability across all levels of the firm.
Our people
All our people are made aware of our Modern Slavery Policy. We provide guidance on recognising signs of exploitation and on the process for reporting concerns.
We expect all of our people and contractors to remain vigilant, act responsibly, and uphold the highest professional and ethical standards in line with our commitment to preventing modern slavery.
Our supply chains
While the legal sector is generally considered low risk, we recognise that modern slavery can occur in supply chains. We are particularly mindful of risks in areas such as outsourced services, facilities management, catering, corporate hospitality, and branded merchandise.
To reduce these risks, we:
Conduct due diligence and compliance checks on suppliers and agencies.
Include anti-slavery and human trafficking obligations in supplier contracts.
Encourage fair employment practices and safe, ethical working conditions.
Regularly review supplier relationships to ensure compliance.
Recruitment practices
We maintain robust recruitment processes designed to prevent exploitation. These include right-to-work checks and written contracts prior to commencement of employment. Neither our firm nor the recruitment agencies we engage charge fees to individuals seeking work with us.
Governance and oversight
Responsibility for our modern slavery risk management strategy sits with the Director of Risk and Governance, with oversight provided by the Management Board. We review our policies and practices annually to ensure effectiveness, alignment with legal obligations, and continuous improvement.
Measuring effectiveness
During the financial year April 2024 to 31 March 2025, no incidents of modern slavery or human trafficking were identified within our firm or supply chains. Should any concerns arise, we are committed to carrying out a full investigation and taking appropriate action in accordance with our policies and procedures.
Reporting concerns
We encourage anyone with concerns relating to modern slavery or human trafficking within our organisation or supply chains to raise them without delay. Concerns can be reported to HR or Compliance at [email protected]. All reports are handled sensitively, with victim protection as the priority.
Our annual statement
We publish this statement annually, setting out the steps we have taken to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking. This statement has been approved by our Chief Executive Officer and is available publicly on our website.